The present invention will be described for repairing paint imperfections on automobiles. However, the present invention may be used for repairing paint imperfections on any other articles of manufacture, as would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from the description herein.
Referring to FIG. 1, when a paint imperfection 102 is spotted on an automobile 104, the paint imperfection 102 is repaired. The paint imperfection 102 may be spotted in an inspection process during assembly of the automobile 104 in an manufacturing facility. Alternatively, the paint imperfection 102 may be spotted at an after-market automobile repair shop.
In any case, to repair the paint imperfection 102 such as a scratch or a dent in paint, the localized area on the automobile 104 having the paint imperfection 102 is typically sanded down and coated with the layers of paint and other forms of paint treatment as known in the paint repair industry. The coating of paint and treatment is then cured by exposing the localized area to a heat source 106.
The heat source 106 heats up the localized area and may heat up other components on the automobile 104. For example, if a paint imperfection is located near a rear window 108 of the automobile 104, then the heat source 106 may heat up the rear window 108. The rear window 108 and a rubber molding 110 are coupled to the frame of the automobile via a sealer. If the heat source 106 heats up the rear window 108 and the rubber molding 110, the rubber molding 110 may melt and/or may deform in shape. Such melting and/or deforming of the rubber molding 110 degrades the appearance of the automobile 104. In addition, excessive heating of the rear window 108 may result in deformation and degradation of appearance of the rear window 108.
Thus, in the prior art, the rear window 108 and the rubber molding 110 are removed from the frame of the automobile 104 before curing of the paint by exposure to the heat source 106. Depending on the components removed from the automobile 104, such components may be discarded after removal. In that case, the removed components are replaced with new components. Unfortunately, such removal and replacement in the prior art results in higher cost and added labor during repair of paint imperfection on the automobile 104. Nevertheless, components such as the rear window 108 and the rubber molding 110 that are located near the paint imperfection need protection from excessive heating during curing of paint by exposure to the heat source 106.
In the prior art, protective covers attempt to shield the heat sensitive components from the heat source 106. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,559 to Cayford et al. discloses a protective tape, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,347 to Semle at al. discloses a light weight, disposable enclosure for covering the components on the automobile to be protected during exposure to the heat source 106. However, such protective coverings of the prior art may not be sufficient for preventing melting and/or deformation of the heat sensitive components. For example, if the paint imperfection 102 were substantially near the molding 110, even with a protective covering of the prior art, heat from the localized area may sufficiently conduct to the molding 110 to melt and/or deform the molding 110.